Buying House with Septic System

[JTKub]

I love our garbage disposal, but we are on city sewer. We don't intentionally put food down it but it is super nice not having to empty a sink strainer. Just rinse it all down the sink until it starts to back and flip on the disposal. Such a luxury!

If you only use them that way, you're generally ok. They become the proverbial plumber's best friend when people try to mulch/slurry up everything with them.

 

[hosspuller]

Home was built in 1965. Conventional tank and leach field. 30 years ago, I had a home inspector before we closed the purchase. He filled the tub and then let it drain. Based on the backup/slow drain, he recommended a new leach field. A new field was installed. Since then, I've pumped the tank every 3 -5 years. The hard rule here is only toilet paper and what was eaten goes in the toilet. Cooking grease is collected for the trash. Haven't any issue with bleach or such in 30 years.

PS: I did install risers on inlet and outlet to avoid digging and landscape disturbance.

 

[etpm]

Island County in WA State doesn't allow disposers in new construction and hasn't for about 20 years. Maybe more. Island County also doesn't recommend additives. The reasoning being that the additives liquefy solids that then precipitate out in the drain field. And you cannot find the typical septic additives for sale in any of the stores on either island, Whidbey or Camano. With most folks in Island County being on septic systems the health department really pays attention to septic issues.
Eric

 

[Jstpssng]

Years ago I was moonlighting for a caterer on a busy night. Things got crazy, the chef had to dump the grease off a steamship round so that he could serve it but the sinks were full of water and dishes. The only one available was the one with a pig... which quickly cooled the grease, plugging the drain. We needed the sink so I had to reach down it to drag the grease out.
I cleaned with my right hand while clutching the biggest knife I could find in my left to keep people away from the switch. If he was stupid enough to do that who knows what else he would do.

 

[grsthegreat]

Home was built in 1965. Conventional tank and leach field. 30 years ago, I had a home inspector before we closed the purchase. He filled the tub and then let it drain. Based on the backup/slow drain, he recommended a new leach field. A new field was installed. Since then, I've pumped the tank every 3 -5 years. The hard rule here is only toilet paper and what was eaten goes in the toilet. Cooking grease is collected for the trash. Haven't any issue with bleach or such in 30 years.

PS: I did install risers on inlet and outlet to avoid digging and landscape disturbance.

That test was useless. My tub drains slow if theres hair in the trap

 

[grsthegreat]

I wonder, in a finished house, how would an inspector even know sinks and tubs wernt piped into septic?

 

[sandman2234]

I am wondering just how an inspector would know "if" certain drains were bypassed away from the septic tank. A couple of mine were actually diverted to dump on the empty lot next door by the guy who built the house. I found it when the grass clogged the pipe and I had to track the pipe. Short of putting dye in the water and making sure it flowed into the tank, how else would you track to make sure the waste water actually went into the tank? On new construction, you can still see the pipes before they are buried, but once they are buried, how do you tell? Most inspections just want to make sure that there is enough flow to keep the tub empty and the sinks from backing up. Maybe run a load of laundry to check that, but how many pull the lid off the tank to check to see if the flow is coming into the tank?
David from jax

 

[paulsharvey]

I wonder, in a finished house, how would an inspector even know sinks and tubs wernt piped into septic?

Our OP specifically stated the washing machine was just piped through the wall.

If you Really wanted to know, you could easily drop a die pack, and open a clean out.

But, to your point, you absolutely can do it, Noone will likely ever know, as long as you dont pipe it to the road or something. In the end though, you have to pipe it somewhere, and its not hard to find a 2" PVC pipe, and question what it is.

This is mostly just a selling/buying issue; not a does it work or not issue.

 

[sandman2234]

I wonder, in a finished house, how would an inspector even know sinks and tubs wernt piped into septic?

You beat me to the same question!
David from jax